Protective measuring and display strip for ribbons and fabrics.



A. SHACKLETON. PROTECTIVE MEASURING AND DISPLAY STRIP FORRIBBONS AND FABRICS.

APPLICATION FILED IEB.21, 1908.

Patented Nov.28, 1911.

n w w m 2% UNIT STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED SHAGKLETON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

rmrncrivnliannsunlnd annnIsPLAY STRIP non mesons AND FABRICS.

To all whom it may concern:

" Be it known that. I, ALFRED SHAcKLEToN,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the'city of Chicago, in the county .5 of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements, in Protective Measuring and Display Strips for Ribbons and Fabrics and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Heretofore fabrics such as ribbons are usually wound upon spools with a strip. of paper wound therewith, to separate the successive layers or turns of ribbon, and sometimes such strips are marked to indicate a linear scale on one or both sides thereof. Usually however, such scales have proven of little practical value, for the reason that in measuring and in displaying the ribbon, the strip becomes separated from the fabric, and a considerable portion is then torn ofi' and thrown away, leaving the unsold portion of the bolt exposed to become soiled and. soon finds its way to the bargain counter. Said paper if wound upon one side of the ribbon only, has been found to creep relatively to each other, rendering the scales inaccurate. To obviate this difiiculty it ,has been attempted to slit transversely a paper strip somewhat Wider than the ribbon or fabric, and having linear scales marked upon its margins and to thread the ribbon or fabric therethrough. In this way avoiding the inaccuracies of measuring due to the creeping of one relative to the other. Experiment however, proves that when wound into a belt .the ribbon becomes marked or creased owing to pressure of the cut edges of the paper.

The object of this invention is to obviate the defects heretofore existing in devices of this kind and to provide a protective and display strip in which the ribbon may be readily measured, and is so assembled with the strip as to prevent any injury whatever to the most delicate fabric.

The invention consists of the matters hereinafter described and more fully pointed out and defined in the appended claim.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bolt of ribbon embodying my in- 55 vention. Fig.2 is a longitudinal section of a part of the strip and protective means as- I I Specification of Letters Patent.

rammed Nov. 28, 1911..

Application filed February 21, 1908. Serial No. 417,049.

sociated with the ribbon. Fig. 3 isan en-- larged fragmentary plan view. Fig. l is a fragmentary plan view similar to Fig. 3, the ribbon omitted. Fig. 5 is a similar View. As shown in the drawings: A indicates a strip of paper or any suitable flexible mate-- rial or fabric, marked along opposite margins and from opposite ends with linear scales aa of any'preferred kind as inch--- cated by a-a' whereby the amount of the purchase and the quantity remaining in the bolt may be accurately seen by inspection.

The strip as shown isslitted transversely between the scales on the margimand at the ends; of the transverse slits it is slitted longitudinally thus forming flaps a and a as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. Said longitudinal slits extend any desired distance usually dependent upon the size and q'ualityof the ribbon to be associated with? the strip. Said oppositely directed tongues or flaps permit the ribbon to .be associated therethrougb. without distorting the marginal scale and enables the bolt to be constructed without danger of tearing or distorting the strip.

For ordinary ribbon and many other febrics the flexibility of the flaps or tongues is usually suflicient to prevent injury of the ribbon by transverse marking due to the pressure of said cut edges. On all fine grades of ribbon however, a strip of suitable fabric or material BB" such as fine tissue paper is rolled one on each side of the ribbon, or fabric, and is threaded therewith through the protective strip as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, thus dilfusing the pressure of the cut edges of said strip or said tongues over sutiicicntarea of the ribbon to prevent any marking whatsoever. This effect is of course assisted by affording a sufficient slot between the ends of the tongues indicated respectively by a and a to prevent said ends thereof pinching the ribbon oppositely when wound in the bolt.

The operation is as follows: The ribbon if of cheaper variety, is threaded through .the slots in the protective strip as shown,

the cut ends of the tongues a,a spreading readily oppositely as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and being separated by the thickness of the ribbon and the width of the slot between the ends produces no pinching whatsoever and in consequence is not likely to injure such grades of fabrics. For the finer fabrics, however, it is desirable to thread through said strip together with the ribit away, thereby leaving the ribbon exposed.

.bon or fabric one or more strips B or B to protect-the ribbon from the action of, the

' square cut ed es of the paper as shown in Figs. 1, 2 an 3. Whenyso assembled and vrolled into a bolt, it is found that no inresults to the ribbon and said strips B '--B together with the measuring and "protectin'g tapeA, effectually protect the, more delicate and finer grades of ribbon from any injury whatsoever.

Owing to the fact the protective ta'pe is secured to theribbon at lntervals in its length on both sides thereof, there is little or no tendency for one to separate from the other, tempting the salesman to tear .Of course, though I have shown one form' of my invention, other modifications are possible. I therefore do not purpose-limitmg this invention otherwise than necessititedby the prior art for numerous details of construction are possible without departing from the principles of this invention.

I claim as my invention: A display and measuring strip for ribboii, embracin a strip of paper marked with :t-helinear sca e on opposite edges, reading from opposite ends, and transversely slotted between the scales to aflt'ord relatively "widespaces at intervals apart in thelen th of ALFRED SHACKLETON.

Witnesses:

- C. W. HILLs,

K. E. HANNAH. 

